I was wondering if it is possible to observe changes to the bid/ask spread on any time frame chart. What does it look like when the spread widens and narrows? Since charts print 1. only trades 2. in hindsight the highs and lows may hide what is happening in real-time? Many thanks in advance. FS
Yes, there are companies that markets software that show bid/ask spread on any time frame charts although I suspect they don't use the word "any" in their marketing. For example, they probably have the typical chart time frames but not something like 7min chart. Just use Google search to find them. Yet, in the early 2000 there was a company that literally allowed "any" time frame but they went out of business in less than a year.
Possible? I don't know. The best place to be looking for the spread is on a depth of market (aka orderbook). I don't see how it would be possible to observe it on a chart. (even a footprint chart)
As @wartrace points out, adding a DOM to the chart helps. With the TT platform, you may attach MD Trader to a chart to create a widget group so bid/ask is very visible. You may enter orders on MD Trader and your orders, and fills, will be shown on the chart. We're also going to release a new trading on the chart feature by the end of the month and this will include a narrow bid/ask indicator on the chart which may be used for order entry and order management.